Rangers secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Jablonec at Ibrox in the first leg of their Europa Conference League play-off, though the win was overshadowed by a laboured performance and a late red card for substitute Cammy Devlin.
Devlin, introduced to help see out the game, lasted only around five minutes before being sent off for a reckless lunge, leaving Rangers to nervously protect their slender advantage against a Jablonec side that offered little going forward but proved stubborn in defence.
The breakthrough eventually came through Ryan Naderi, whose goal followed one of the few passages of fluent, purposeful football Rangers managed to produce across the entire ninety minutes. For long stretches, Derek McInnes' side struggled to create meaningful chances, often finding themselves short of options and ideas in the final third.
Jablonec, for their part, were well-drilled and difficult to break down, though they showed minimal attacking intent and were more focused on frustrating their hosts and running down the clock through stoppages in play.
Despite the underwhelming display, there were some bright spots for Rangers. The team kept a clean sheet, with Djeidi Gassama and James Penrice praised for their work rate, and Olwethu Makhanya delivering a composed defensive performance. Naderi also showed flashes of improvement in his overall game.
Still, the first half in particular was a difficult watch for supporters, with Rangers lacking movement and creativity going forward. Emmanuel Fernandez, tasked with building attacks from the back, often found himself with no passing options ahead of him, leading to frustration among the home crowd whenever possession was surrendered cheaply.
McInnes was seen pacing his technical area throughout, visibly animated as he tried to inject some urgency and structure into his team's approach play. Despite his efforts, cohesion remained elusive for large parts of the match.
The result comes amid continued scrutiny of Rangers' recruitment strategy under the ownership of Andrew Cavenagh's consortium, which took charge of the club last summer. The club have made 11 new signings in recent weeks, part of a wider spree that has seen close to 30 players brought in since the takeover. Transfer spending is reported to be approaching the £50-£60m mark, having already surpassed £35m by January.
Questions remain over whether that outlay has translated into on-field quality, especially when set against a Celtic side that impressed with fluid, attacking football in their own European fixture around the same time.
Adding to the intrigue around Ibrox, midfielder Nico Raskin was absent from the matchday squad, reportedly due to a minor injury. However, speculation continues to swirl regarding interest from Turkish club Fenerbahce, fuelling uncertainty about his long-term future at the club.
Rangers will now travel to face Jablonec in the second leg with a one-goal cushion, though McInnes will be aware that his side cannot afford another subdued performance if they are to progress safely, particularly with a man suspended for the return fixture.
The manager continues to work through what he has described as a long-term rebuilding process at Ibrox, aiming to forge a more cohesive and effective unit from a squad still finding its identity under new ownership.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.